Illinois Hokie's Recent Comments
Or really if there was just a way to see posts you've downvoted, then it would be easier for me to make sure I've reversed all my incidental downvotes. I just don't wanna be throwing out unwarranted bad mojo.
In response to the entire above string of comments I would just like to add this to the conversation, in the hopes of establishing a better perspective of the situation.
In 2014, Brenden Motley recorded twenty-three plays from scrimmage. Those twenty-three plays were the sum total of his live game experience for us. He had attempted three passes in his college career. And before those 23 snaps in 2014, his last live game experience came in 2011, running the Wing T at Christiansburg High. He had, shall we say, limited experience.
I understand the concept that a QB coach has a responsibility to get their backup QB game ready, and in principle I agree with it. But to have such a narrow focus in that mindset of looking at how Motley performed coming into the Ohio State game is myopic, IMO. Had Motley stunk on ice for the subsequent five games, then I do believe we would have a legit gripe against Loeffler the QB coach. But the fact that Motley has been very good in four of the five games he has started, while running an offense significantly different from what Lefty had planned for Brewer to run, is, I believe, a testament to Loeffler as both a QB coach and an OC.
There are a number of possibilities for the offensive shutdown we saw against OSU when Motley came in. One I continue to assert is, knowing the outcome of that game had no effect on our goal of winning the ACC, the coaches conceded the game rather than risk losing the first and second string QBs to injury.
But the other possibility is that the moment, coming in against the defending national champions in the most hyped home game in recent history, was simply too large for a guy with 23 snaps to his name. And if that's the case, there is no amount of QB coaching or game planning that can overcome your QB being intimidated by the moment. That not a coaching issue, it's a psychology issue.
Playing Georgia Tech inflates the rankings... /s (mostly)
Motley went from 4 for 9 on 36 yards to 16 of 24 on 233 yards because of one week of coaching?
No, I'd say more because he went from playing against OSU to playing against Furman.
Motley had 9 passes in a half of football. If it had been 14 that would have been fine. But 9 passing plays?
9 pass attempts + 2 sacks + 1 defensive pass interference call = 12 passing plays.
I agree with you, an I actually mentioned this somewhere else on here not long ago. After thinking about it, though, Lefty did get hired along with Jeff Grimes, whom he worked with at Auburn, so to an extent Lefty did bring in one of his guys. It's not really Lefty's fault that LSU came calling after one year. We also have no idea how much influence Lefty might have be had in the hiring of Searels and Burden. Could have been a lot, could have been none. We do know that Lefty got the guy he wanted in the offensive quality control position, if we believe the interviews in which Lefty extols the virtues of Max Warner. So at least to some extent, Lefty has structured at least some of the offensive staff to his liking.
Just to offer a counterpoint, Chad Morris didn't bring in his own staff at Clemson. The year Morris was hired, Clemson also hired running backs coach Tony Elliott from Furman and OL coach Robbie Caldwell from Vanderbilt. So far as I can tell, there is nothing linking Morris to either Elliott or Caldwell.
Another interesting fact about Morris, he adopted the offensive terminology of his predecessor at Clemson, rather than asking his players to memorize new terms for positions or concepts they already understood by a different name.
So maybe the good OCs need their own guys, but maybe the great ones scheme to the strengths of both their players and their positions coaches.
Or maybe...just maybe...it's the type of pro-style offense that will actually get QBs ready for the NFL, meaning a player needs at least a year to learn it. Unlike Lefty's predecessor, who did best when he got a 5 star QB who he just let wing it when the pocket collapsed.
After rewatching it, I honestly believe it was a conscious decision by the coaches. They were trying to have Motley play the game of a pocket passer, and he just didn't have it. The defense stayed stout for two drives after Brewer went out, but you can honestly see a shift in the body language of both offense and defense when OSU went up 28-1417. I think when it became a two score game, the coaches put word out that everyone just needed to play safe and not risk injury. Then the floodgates opened and the offense just sort of quit trying and the defense followed suit.
There isn't. But there's a whole generation of kids wearing vintage Nirvana t-shirts with no idea what Nirvana was.
I doubt a transfer is in the cards, because even if he's the backup next season, you know he is going to get significant playing time. Motley can't make it through a season without an injury. (Not a knock on Motley, that's a byproduct of the game he plays.)
Lawson will see the field next season either way, after having a full year to learn the offense.
Yes sorry, you are correct. Will edit.
Though point still stands that there was a palpable change in our playcalling and performance once it became a two possession game.
I weep for this current generation that believes Nirvana is a brand of clothing.
I loved the bluesy undertones of Load and Reload.
Also, if you liked the pre-Black stuff, have you listened to Death Magnetic? There are some definite throwbacks to their earlier days.
To clarify, when I said "put the word out," I meant among the coaches over the headsets. I don't think they said it point blank to the players, but the players ain't no fool. They could tell what was going on with the playcalling. You can almost see the moment in the game when it happens.
We're never gonna know stuff like this. Frank keeps the wagons too tightly circled. But when decisions like this get made, I can't help but think the decision got handed down by Papa Bear himself.
There's no way they redshirt Lawson next season, IMO, because if he doesn't win the starting job, he will be the clear backup. I fully expect Durkin to be a full-time TE come next year, and that just leaves Jack Click and true freshman Josh Jackson behind Motley at the position if Lawson were to redshirt.
There is the chance, however, that they expected Lawson to contribute based on how he performed in camp, but his performance in limited snaps has been a liability. Lawson looked lost against Purdue, and it wouldn't surprise me if that made the staff reassess their approach to getting him live snaps.
3:30. Noon. 1 AM. JUST NO RAIN. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
Gotcha. Makes total sense now. Wasn't aware you only got five minutes heads-up time on the gates opening. You guys were pretty much hosed from the get go.
We are at the tipping point of the season, no doubt. And at this point we have the potential to replicate 2004, or to replicate 2012-14. The difference between this year and the last two, though, is that now Lefty's offense is completely installed and we have two QBs (when Brewer returns) who have some longevity within the system.
I'm still of the opinion we conceded that game as soon as Brewer went down. We didn't run Motley like we have in the subsequent five games. I think the goal as soon as Brewer came out was to get out of there without any other significant injuries and focus on winning the ACC.
This is just the new reality of the Loeffler era, IMO. There will be supreme loyalty and reliance on the starting QB in this system, by virtue of how much responsibility Lefty's scheme puts on the position. To be honest, at this point I question the decision to play Lawson this season if he's going to be this limited in his duties. I kind of figured we would see him for one drive a game, just by virtue of him needing live reps.
Granted, but I think his point was a .500 start. Yes, we've lost one more game than we did in '04, but just taking a .500 start at face value, there could be significant similarities to '04 if we have truly flipped the switch.
No, I agree, depth is an issue. When I say talent isn't a problem, I'm referring to our ones. Our ones are, by and large, as talented as just about anyone's ones in the country. We don't have a serious deficiency in starting talent. But yes, you are correct, there are some positions that we aren't two deep at, let alone three deep. That will catch up with us. But simply matching up starters vs starters, there aren't many teams at all that we will be significantly outgunned by.
I thought Frank coached punt block. Wasn't sure if the same coach had block and return duties.
Either way, whoever is coaching returns isn't doing at least one aspect of their job.
I have often thought it would be amazing if there was a way to drop the lights at Lane when Enter Sandman starts for a night game and frame the tunnel in a spotlight.. But I understand industrial halogen lighting is not instant-on, and there would be safety concerns for bathing a stadium in darkness without warning just as blaring music starts.